Latex Creations for "OUR COUNTRY'S GOOD"

 

Kelsea Polk and I were asked to create some specific makeup effects for a challenging show this Fall term at PSU. Our Country's Good required someone to be whipped and bleeding and to later show the scars from this whipping. There was also an Aborigine character who needed to be painted, and who died late in the show of small pox. We had both taken a stage makeup course, but hadn't done much work with latex otherwise. It sounded like the perfect chance to try it out so we dove in.

• We Started out with liquid latex and strips of cotton, building on sheets of glass so that the pieces could be pulled off easily. 

• The research for this project was pretty disturbing so I haven't included the photos. We found old photographs of slaves that had been whipped and based our pieces on that. 

• We had to make two nearly identical pieces, one being the fresh wound, the other being the scar. They reminded us of the babies from the movie "Aliens," and we started referring to them as The Twins: Scully" & Mulder. Every day we would have to go check on how The Twins were doing, were they dry? Did they need more paint? More latex? 

• The fresh wound pinned to a mesh shirt so the glue would dry. This was Margaret, the Costume Designer's idea. She made the mesh tank, which wasn't visible because in both scenes the wounds are viewed through an open over-shirt. It was easier to having to apply the wounds with spirit glue and switching them mid-play each night. 

• For the scar piece we used a blade to cut out space between the ridges so that they wouldn't appear as one big pink blob on stage. 

• Then we added some paint to add more dimension. We never were able to find a paint that worked very well with the latex, although the makeup effects store claimed that acrylic would work. 

• For the small pox we rolled up tiny balls of cotton to simulate pustules then embedded the cotton balls in liquid latex. 

• We did research on small pox but had to modify our pieces for the stage. The pox had to be applied during a scene that lasted about ten minutes. Actual small pox looks like these bumps covering the entire surface of the skin, but of course, we wouldn't have time to apply that much makeup in 10 minutes, so we made smaller patches. 

• Small pox bumps are closer to actual skin tone but the director wanted them to read from a distance, and to look disgusting, so we used some creative license. 

• Researching the Aborigine's makeup was very challenging. In the time period that the play was set there were over 26 different Aborigine groups in the area of the English colony, all with different customs. In addition body painting has very specific meaning that varies from group to group, and even person to person, and finding information about the symbolism was very difficult. We felt it was very important to portray him as honestly and respectfully as possible. Kelsea and I argued that in fact he most likely wouldn't have been painted unless he were attending a ritual, not in daily life. We were worried that we would be painting him in something that had a specific meaning that was inappropriate for the play. The Costume Designer wanted to emphasize his physical difference from the whote settlers as much as possible though, and insisted that he be painted, so we used some of the most common elements that we'd found in our research and kept it simple. 

Also, the small pox blisters were applied to one side of his body, since he was only seen crawling across the floor, and they wouldn't be visible elsewhere.

Starting out with liquid latex and strips of cotton, building on sheets of glass so that the pieces could be pulled off easily.

We had to make two nearly identical pieces, one being the fresh wound, the other being the scar. They reminded us of the babies from the movie "Aliens," and we started referring to them as The Twins: Scully" & Mulder. Every day we would have to go check on how The Twins were doing, were they dry? Did they need more paint? More latex?

The research for this project was pretty disturbing so I haven't included the photos. We found old photographs of slaves that had been whipped and based our pieces on that. It was pretty harrowing.

The "fresh" wound with blood. This was only seen peeking from under a torn shirt as the character was being "whipped."

The "healed" wound. Later we went back and added more paint to make it look more dimensional, but the acrylic paint didn't work as well with the latex as everyone claimed it would.

Tiny cotton balls embedded in liquid latex to form "small pox"

For the small pox we did research but had to modify our pieces for the stage. The pox had to be applied during a scene that lasted about ten minutes. Actual small pox looks like these bumps covering the entire surface of the skin, but of course, we wouldn't have time to apply that much makeup in 10 minutes, so we made smaller patches and painted them grotesquely.

The Lincoln Hall Theater has a 500 seat capacity so the director requested that the small pox be highly exaggerated.

Making Miss Pacman

Some inspiration on the hottest bitch in the arcade:

Out on the town.

I have only a few weeks to get my Ms. Pacman number costumed, sound mixed, choreographed, and rehearsed! The girls of Rose City Shimmy have stepped up to be my ghosts!

Inky, Blinky, Pinky and Clyde!

I have been planning this number for months and this show, with it's retro video game theme, was perfect. I had thought that I would start this in the beginning of summer but the funds didn't come through. Finally, armed with a stack of coupons I was able to procure a pile of mattress foam, yards of colored satin and these:

I'll let you guess what these are for...

I've looked up a lot of Pacman costumes online and there are some very clever ones but none exactly like what I had in mind. 

This is closest to the shape that I'm going for.

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Most tend to be of the side view which makes sense because this is how she looks in the game, but...

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...I want to be this version. There's something so much more comical to me about her human face and sexy legs on that giant puffball.

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This is a pretty ambitious project and time is running out. This will be a great challenge in foam construction. I'd be lying if I said I'm not nervous that my concept will fail miserably. Wish me luck!

MAKING MS. PACMAN! I tried to take photos as I made progress. I had no pattern to work from, just an idea of what *might* work. There was a lot of experimenting, a lot of things that had to be changed as I went along, but that is how most burlesque costumes go. They are unlike Halloween costumes, theater or film costumes in that they have to be removed in a way that is not only pleasing to the audience but works with the choreography, the theme, and of course, the rhythm of the song.  * I started with a few sheets of foam that were intended as mattress pads.  * In order to create a round shape I cut them into strips and glued the edges together loosely so they would hinge, tapering the tops until I had finally worked it into a shape that was not only rounded but large enough for me to fit inside. * Once I had this shape I marked the face. I needed eye holes and a mouth hole because in the number I eat fruits and a pretzel. Then I cut arm holes (which had to be moved later and never really allowed me a whole lot of movement. I might have to make them larger but then my skin would be visible underneath....hmmmm) * Then I cut the whole shape in half and stretched this yellow velvet over it. I needed something stretchy and I wanted texture that would catch the light. Also I thought the velvet had a nice Muppety quality. Fabrics For Less in Portland is an invaluable resource for cheap fabric! Once everything was glued on I used the excess foam to pad the inside of the costume so that it would hold it's shape and keep my head centered so that I could see out the eye holes on stage. Then I used snaps and Velcro on the edges to hold the two halves together so that they could pop apart for the final reveal! Remember how the Pacs die, sort of withering like a peeled banana? * Next I wanted to make the eyes look like hers but still be able to see out of them. I got a great suggestion from a friend who's a puppeteer. I hot-glued colored thule to a wire frame in the shape of the eye socket so that I could set the whole thing in the hole with more glue. Not pictured: I added glittery black lashes cut out of vinyl and used puff paint (still useful even though the 80's are over!) to line the eyes.  * Then came the fun part - accessorizing. Of course I needed a giant pink bow! And the burlesque staple, glitter lips! Not pictured: A sequin mole! I also used my own cream blush to give her rosy cheeks. * Ghost time! Fabrics For Less has TONS of cheap satin in all different colors. Using the umbrella hats as a guide I made a simple pattern and cut and sewed and resewed, and fixed and fussed until they were close enough! I used colored thule again on the eyes but no wire. Inside I sewed a little pocket under a slit so that the ghosts could carry fruit and use their hands when needed. Check out the finished costume below! Cutting out the ghosts in shape A little good luck present from my dude, the world's best gift giver! And here's the final product in action at Geeklesque: Power's Up!

KISS QUE C'EST BURLESQUE

KISS QUE C'EST BURLESQUE 
2007 / SAN FRANCISCO

When our troupe first formed no one wanted to make their own costumes but me. I had been collecting sparkly thrift store gems for a while, eagerly awaiting a purpose. I gleefully set to work for our first photo shoot, tearing up gaudy prom dresses and old lady's cocktail blouses, reconfiguring them into bustles and bustiers. Our palette was black and gold, and each outfit represented our characters. (L->R) Pin Key Lee was a Marilyn-esque showgirl with a circus twist. She made the lock because she wanted to do a Houdini strip. April was a trained belly dancer with a cha cha influence. (You can't see the skirt in this picture but it turned out very cute.) Becca was our gender-bending acrobat in a tuxedo one-piece. I was a voodoo vamp. Miss Mae Western was a sassy pistol slinger from down Mexico way. I've come a long way. These days I would never put someone in a crinoline or a Frederick's bustier, but we were baby burlesquers and I love looking back on our homespun glamour.

Princess Peach Reworked

Years ago when I first started performing in San Francisco I had the idea to do a Mario Bros number where I would play Princess Peach. I was so excited about it that I bought a red wig, crown and blue rhinestone necklace immediately. I was on the right track because that same week I found the most hideous pink princess dress at Thrift Town. (It's much more challenging to find outrageous clothes at thrift stores in Portland. There's more sequins in the SFcast-offs.) The label said it was from Guam and I'm sure it was intended as a tween pageant dress. It was incredible - fake flowers spraying off the puffed shoulders...it resembled that miserable prom dress that Molly Ringwald makes in Pretty in Pink. 

This is the adorable vintage dress that she's given.

And this is the freakish Franken-dress she creates. 

(Side note: as baffling as her ultimate creation is that scene was one of the most influential in my young life! Why is this sewing montage not on Youtube?!?! I think they meant for it to feel like Cinderella, but it's more Frankenstein.) 
Anyways, as soon as I saw that pink monstrosity my eyes lit up, and just then a nosy stranger said, "That's the ugliest dress I've ever seen, what on earth are you going to do with it?" Undeterred, I happily claimed my prize. 
There is something especially satisfying about finding one of fashion's sequined misjudgements and transforming it into something stage worthy. 
Well, then I moved to Portland and the dress sat in my closet until someone told me that some other performers had a Mario Bros number. Instead of stuffing the idea I asked them if they wanted to add a Princess Peach to the mix, and they did! It worked out perfectly because I am taller than both of them just like in the game, ha! 
I pulled out the old dress and ripped it apart. I made a new bodice from a Princess dress pattern and used the ruffled skirt and puffed sleeves from the old dress. The sleeves pull off, then the bodice, then the skirt to reveal a gold coin bikini. And when I shimmy coins pop out!

Here is the original monstrosity.  Those sleeves...

Here is the full beast. That skirt...

Princess Peach Tear-Away Burlesque Costume!

It was a childhood dream come true, Pretty in Pink and Cinderella all at once. 

Here's another inspiring sewing scene :